tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-60991232011-08-07T18:09:55.184-07:00A vent for pent up thoughtsDavidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16951898872965580275noreply@blogger.comBlogger1861100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6099123.post-1157461380749804472006-09-05T05:37:00.000-07:002006-09-05T06:03:00.773-07:00

Pot odds is something all good poker players use to decide whether to call a bet. They look at how big the bet is compared to the size of the pot and compare that to the chance that they can win the hand. If the ratio is favorable, then they make the call. I don't play much poker anymore, so, being bored, I decided to calculate the pot odds for the subway last night in determining whether to

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16951898872965580275noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6099123.post-1156035856930675872006-08-19T17:51:00.000-07:002006-08-19T18:04:16.946-07:00

116 Street is the site of Columbia's undergrad campus. It is also the unofficial cutoff between "cool" Manhattan and "uncool" Manhattan. North of 116th are the unsavory neighborhoods of Harlem, Inwood, and the Bronx. South is where the action is, with the famous restaurants, clubs and shopping. This being Saturday night, I happened to be taking the subway at 116th St and noticed quite a

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16951898872965580275noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6099123.post-1155587451995670232006-08-14T13:23:00.000-07:002006-08-14T13:30:52.060-07:00

A centrifuge is a device that spins test tubes at a very fast rate, using centrifugal force to separate a mixture into it's component parts. It's frequently used in labs to sort out blood cells from plasma, DNA from other protein, etc. The components layer so the heavier ones are at the bottom. Usually to achieve this effect, you have to spin at several thousand times a minute. Yesterday,

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16951898872965580275noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6099123.post-1153975950557161472006-07-26T20:27:00.000-07:002006-07-27T06:20:46.570-07:00

Summer's back in NYC. It's sizzling hot outside, but the hottest place in the city is the underground subway platforms. With the trains generating waves of heat and nowhere for it to escape, and with barely a hint of a breeze down there, it becomes unbearable after mere minutes.In my subway station, we have an elevator. A man sits in the elevator pressing the up and down button all day long.

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16951898872965580275noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6099123.post-1144717647667458612006-04-10T17:39:00.000-07:002006-04-10T18:07:27.730-07:00

Went to Chicago last weekend for a board review course paid for by my department. It was great seeing everyone and walking through the old neighborhood. Went out to a bunch of nice restaurants. Got a haircut at my favorite barbershop in Argyle. Had an "asparagus battle" with my roommate. My last night there, we played poker until 4am. Upon arriving back at my hotel, my roommate was of

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16951898872965580275noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6099123.post-1139876810888083472006-02-13T16:25:00.000-08:002006-02-13T16:27:45.503-08:00

"EIGHTY PERCENT OF AL-QAEDA NO.2'S NOW DEAD"- headline from The Onion

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16951898872965580275noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6099123.post-1139358263999135832006-02-07T15:49:00.000-08:002006-02-07T16:24:24.056-08:00

I have been feeling more and more that religious fanaticism is the root of many evils in this world. I know religion has done great things for countless people and I have no problem with people believing whatever they want. Think there are unicorns living in caves in Antarctica? That's fine with me. Just keep it to yourself and look for them on your own time. What does bother me is when

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16951898872965580275noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6099123.post-1138123149563620482006-01-24T07:23:00.000-08:002006-01-24T09:19:10.926-08:00

Remember the days when we watched afternoon cartoons? Sometimes the half hour would end with a "to be continued". GI Joe and Duck Tales did this frequently. I would be left with my jaw hanging and dying from the anticipation of the next episode. Is Duke really dead?? How are the nephews going to rescue Uncle Scrooge from jail and get his money back from the Beagle Boys? It would be on my

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16951898872965580275noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6099123.post-1134318004859555122005-12-11T08:17:00.000-08:002005-12-11T08:20:04.873-08:00

"What do you do?" I am often asked. When I reply, they say, "Oh, you put people to sleep." Yes, that is one thing that I do, but hardly describes my job. I just want to set the record straight so I can stop answering the same questions ad nauseam. Anesthesiologists do many things. However, our primary objective is to keep our patients alive in a variety of settings, for the short term.

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16951898872965580275noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6099123.post-1132702713404364232005-11-22T15:16:00.000-08:002005-11-22T15:38:44.420-08:00

I watched Spiderman 2 today. It got me thinking about what would have happened if Peter had been bitten by some other radioactive insect. A radioactive cockroach would have made the strongest superhero. Sure spiders are agile, can shoot sticky substances, and have a mysterious sixth sense, but I think Spiderman is mostly brains and beauty. And the brain came from Parker, not the

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16951898872965580275noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6099123.post-1128993071873842832005-10-10T18:10:00.000-07:002005-10-10T18:38:08.193-07:00

I had several interesting experiences while grocery shopping in Chinatown this weekend. It's a whole different mentality than the Gristedes I normally shop in. (Disclaimer: these experiences occurred with street vendors. I think the actual Chinatown supermarkets are more fair.)First I stopped off to buy some you chai, a Chinese vegetable. The sign said $1.30 a pound. I had one dollar and

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16951898872965580275noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6099123.post-1123539749618236702005-08-08T15:06:00.000-07:002005-08-08T15:22:29.623-07:00

Here's a philosophical question. If someone experiences pain during surgery and doesn't remember it afterwards, did the pain actually exist? Many doctors think that patient recollection is the most important aspect of anesthesia. If they don't remember, then everything is ok. Patients often seem uncomfortable during surgery, but due to the meds that they receive, many of which have an

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16951898872965580275noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6099123.post-1119715839177239982005-06-25T08:18:00.000-07:002005-06-28T20:14:27.176-07:00

It's been so long since I last updated that I almost forgot my password. A lot has happened in the last 2 months so let me give a quick summary.First, Staten Island is no more. I finished up internship there last month, and have had most of the month of June off for vacation. I never thought I'd say this, but I miss my old cockroach infested place, the hospital, and most of all, my fellow

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16951898872965580275noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6099123.post-1114483354803073162005-04-25T19:35:00.000-07:002005-04-25T19:42:34.803-07:00

I was in the elevator today with a man and his young son. Every time the elevator door opened, the boy tried to leave and had to be restrained by his dad. Eventually the dad said, "We don't have to go out every time the door opens."I thought about that a little while, and realized that his message extends to life in general. We don't need to jump at every opportunity that presents itself. We

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16951898872965580275noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6099123.post-1113532826253884352005-04-14T19:36:00.000-07:002005-04-14T19:40:26.253-07:00

Once or twice a week, we get a drug rep to bring food to us in the medical clinic. It's always something really bad for you - greasy, carb/salt loaded, and totally delicious. Today it was chinese food. Sweet and sour chicken, BBQ pork, fried dumplings, egg rolls, and various noodles and fried rice. We always set the trays up in one of the patient exam rooms, where the aroma wafts out into the

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16951898872965580275noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6099123.post-1113193054642302822005-04-10T21:15:00.000-07:002005-04-10T21:17:34.643-07:00

Last night I was in the hospital copying down some lab values. My right hand was feeding my mouth a pink marshmallow duck so I had to write with my left hand. The number I was trying to write was 11.2. Two straight lines, a dot, and a curvy line. My left hand couldn’t handle it. The straight lines came out squiggly. Even the dot wasn’t drawn at the right level at the base of the numbers.

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16951898872965580275noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6099123.post-1111630112533525602005-03-23T16:50:00.000-08:002005-03-23T18:08:32.533-08:00

Yesterday was in the 50s and sunny. Today it snowed again, a gusty wet snow. I went to the YMCA to work out, dressed a little too lightly, then got pelted by snowflakes while walking to the car and back to my apartment. Needless to say, I was craving a hot shower by the time I got into my room. I stepped in the shower, turned on the hot water... and felt icy cold water. I turned the water

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16951898872965580275noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6099123.post-1111543894070465782005-03-22T17:52:00.000-08:002005-03-22T18:11:34.070-08:00

When I cook fried rice, I usually make enough for two servings. Today I fried some for dinner, put half of it in a bowl, and ate it while watching tv. The other half I left in my wok. Thirty minutes later I went back to pack the second half in some tupperware, and found that the stove was still on! Well, I've always liked the crispy crusty rice that sometimes forms at the bottom of the pan and

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16951898872965580275noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6099123.post-1110401893001081982005-03-09T12:53:00.000-08:002005-03-09T12:58:13.003-08:00

There is a large green bell pepper in the main stairwell of my apartment. It has now been there for 2 weeks, and was smashed flat sometime last week. Dozens of people walk by it every day and no one picks it up. It just sits there rotting. It is now too disgusting to pick up. I get goosebumps just thinking about what might be living inside.

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16951898872965580275noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6099123.post-1108432433757028682005-02-14T17:44:00.000-08:002005-02-14T17:53:53.760-08:00

I used to have a full length mirror hanging on my wall. Unbeknownst to me, the idiot who put it there used a whole bunch of sticky tape, the kind one might use to hang up a poster. Today the force of gravity became too much for the stickiness of the sticky tape, and the whole thing fell down and shattered into a thousand pieces on my floor. I have so far managed to clean most of it up without

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16951898872965580275noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6099123.post-1106543300003502282005-01-23T21:03:00.000-08:002005-01-23T21:08:20.003-08:00

While wandering around the mall a few days ago, I wondered where all the arcades went. Fifteen years ago every decent mall had an arcade. That was my favorite part of the mall. I could stand there and watch people play for hours. I rarely played myself since I didn't have any money, but the sounds and activity were exhilarating. It was the same kind of rush that I now get from casinos. I

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16951898872965580275noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6099123.post-1105228063828529672005-01-08T15:25:00.000-08:002005-01-08T15:47:43.830-08:00

I discovered an advantage to my small bathroom. If I close the door while showering, the volume of air inside is small enough that I can fill it with steam during a ten minute shower. Then when I turn off the water and step out, it's like stepping into a sauna. I feel almost no temperature change. At the larger bathroom in my parents' house, I used to dread stepping out of the shower into

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16951898872965580275noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6099123.post-1103344616812399792004-12-17T20:35:00.000-08:002004-12-17T20:36:56.813-08:00

My most treasured Christmas present is not a sweater, toy car, not even the computer game Quest For Glory III. It is the Snuffles I got on 12/24/1989. I still remember the night I opened the box and his fat head poked out. He turned out to be as soft as he was cute, and he's been a good companion ever since. Some things come and go (My Little Pony, He-Man action figures) but Snuffles' are

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16951898872965580275noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6099123.post-1102997128540590492004-12-13T20:04:00.000-08:002004-12-13T20:05:28.540-08:00

As the holiday season nears, businesses are trying all sorts of gimmicks to make money. One of the most popular is gift cards. In some cases, gift cards make a good gift. Best Buy sells neat items and Barnes & Noble would be good for book junkies. Gift cards from those types of stores also have a little personality and show you know about the recipient of the gift. But recently, I've seen

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16951898872965580275noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6099123.post-1102740520211878102004-12-10T20:45:00.000-08:002004-12-10T20:48:40.210-08:00

A few weeks ago, it became too cold to exercise outside. I had to make a decision to either shell out some money for gym membership or spend the winter holed up indoors watching tv. I visited Bally's first but they charged outrageous prices with penalties if you don't commit for three years. I was preparing for the "hole up" option until someone told me about a nearby YMCA. Not as glamorous,

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16951898872965580275noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6099123.post-1102305097355139072004-12-05T19:48:00.000-08:002004-12-05T19:51:37.356-08:00

When I first moved in to my apartment, I was disappointed by the lack of carpeting. The floor was covered in an ugly brown plaster/linoleum(?) tile. All of my rooms up until now have been carpeted so that is something I've come to expect. Carpeting is warmer in the wintertime and it dries your feet up after you shower so you don't track water all over the floor. I had a notion that it was

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16951898872965580275noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6099123.post-1101336825458245812004-11-24T14:31:00.000-08:002004-11-24T14:53:45.456-08:00

This week I got assigned a medical student. I've always wanted a medical student and our hospital doesn't get too many of them, so this was a big deal for me. Even more exciting is that she is a good medical student. I think of students as resources. If used properly, they can be very helpful in spreading out the workload. Many residents don't like them, complaining that they are a burden

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16951898872965580275noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6099123.post-1100837147438678202004-11-18T20:00:00.000-08:002004-11-18T20:05:47.436-08:00

While surveying my floor today for cockroaches, I wondered, "Why are humans so afraid of bugs?" It is a fear I can well identify with, having a great dislike for bugs myself. But I can't figure out why we evolved this way. Fear of lions tigers, and bears, I can understand. Our ancestors who did not show appropriate respect were eaten, and those that did survived to procreate. But how did a

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16951898872965580275noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6099123.post-1099698311752410232004-11-05T14:56:00.000-08:002004-11-05T15:45:11.753-08:00

The three most popular languages in the world are Spanish, Chinese, and English. I thought it was interesting to examine how each achieved its dominance. Spanish spread due to the strength of Spain's historic empire, conquering the "new world" and forcing its language upon them. China, from the strength and fertility of its homeland, managed to raise over 1.2 billion people, many of whom now

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16951898872965580275noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6099123.post-1099541559531862212004-11-03T20:09:00.000-08:002004-11-04T20:34:25.476-08:00

Computer prices are soooo cheap right now. Dell is having a sale with a 3GHz/512MB/80GB computer for $400 bucks and free shipping. That would be a huge upgrade from my now ancient 700MHz Dell that I bought 4 1/2 years ago. I almost clicked the "Buy" button this morning, but then hesitated and thought about it some more. Do I really need so much computing speed? Sure, even the cheapest computers

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16951898872965580275noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6099123.post-1099356799057264882004-11-01T16:33:00.000-08:002004-11-01T16:53:19.056-08:00

I tend to be a perfectionist on occasion, but not in any situations where it might be of benefit, like in my work. Rather, my perfectionist tendencies are usually a hindrance, which I noticed today while choosing fruit. I spend a long time in front of the fruit stands sifting through to find the most perfect piece available. Waves of customers come and go and I am still there examining for

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16951898872965580275noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6099123.post-1099085871618824512004-10-29T14:37:00.000-07:002004-10-29T14:37:51.616-07:00

I was chatting with two of my colleagues/friends this morning while we waited for the rest of our team to arrive. We were just complaining about how much weekend calls suck, and I jokingly asked them how much it would cost to get them to cover my Sunday call this weekend. I asked the first one if he would do it for $50. He laughed and replied, "Not even for $500!" Then I turned to the second

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16951898872965580275noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6099123.post-1098742975742997922004-10-25T14:58:00.000-07:002004-10-25T17:32:28.996-07:00

Does anyone remember a show called "You Can't Do That On Television"? It was very popular on Nickelodeon in the 1980s. If there was a show by that name today, it would have to be South Park. South Park gets more and more outrageous every year, as if they're daring the censors to kick them off the air. There was one episode a couple years ago where they said "shit" 162 times just to prove that

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16951898872965580275noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6099123.post-1098395922296587832004-10-21T14:42:00.000-07:002004-10-21T14:58:42.296-07:00

I was starving this morning, a result of staying up too late to watch the Yankees game and not waking up in time for breakfast. I went to check up on a few xrays, but the reading room was empty. Instead of a radiologist, there was only a piece of pastry sitting on the counter. It was in a large box, and seemed to be part of a larger pastry that was mostly eaten. Someone had cut off the

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16951898872965580275noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6099123.post-1098330526814614812004-10-20T20:43:00.000-07:002004-10-20T20:48:46.813-07:00

As I watch Boston on the verge of an unbelievable comeback, the camera pans from player to player to referree to manager. Each person is featured for mere seconds, but within that brief period they all manage to spit at least once. Chew chew chew... spit. Does that mean baseball personnel on average spit every 5 seconds? That's a lot of spit. Go Sox!

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16951898872965580275noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6099123.post-1097794252971395962004-10-14T14:58:00.000-07:002004-10-14T16:09:20.516-07:00

I love shopping on Ebay. You can buy whatever you want at a great price, and all from the comfort of home. My Sonicare finally broke after 6 years of use, so I've been in the market for a new electronic toothbrush. I immediately picked a toothbrush I liked, the amazing Braun series, and the hunting period began. Researching the average closing prices, scouting the upcoming auctions to see which

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16951898872965580275noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6099123.post-1097635471328424642004-10-12T19:15:00.000-07:002004-10-12T19:44:31.326-07:00

One thing all patients should know is that not all patients are treated equally. Ideally they should be, but it is impossible not to place some patients over others. Despite our attempts to be fair, what usually happens is a baseline level of care for all patients, and extra attention to those that make a special impression. So how does one get into this select group? Most importantly, do

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16951898872965580275noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6099123.post-1096665513918363892004-10-01T13:27:00.000-07:002004-10-01T14:18:33.916-07:00

One of the things I look forward to during the day is eating the delicious lunches that I prepare for myself. Last night I toasted a roll, put on some BBQ chicken, and topped it off with a couple slices of provolone cheese. It smelled so good I wanted to eat it right then and there, but forced myself to wrap it up in seran wrap and packed it away with an apple croissant for today's lunch.

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16951898872965580275noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6099123.post-1095803710584625302004-09-21T14:35:00.000-07:002004-09-21T14:55:10.583-07:00

I was looking for the leftover rice to eat for dinner today. I remembered cooking rice last Tuesday, and from what I recalled, there was still quite a bit left. I looked in the fridge pot but couldn't find my rice pot anywhere. Then convinced myself that maybe I actually finished it and just didn't remember. I looked in my dishrack for the empty rice pot but it wasn't there either. Then the

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16951898872965580275noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6099123.post-1095198762165190222004-09-14T14:39:00.000-07:002004-09-14T14:53:22.053-07:00

During the course of obtaining a patient's history, we often ask about the color of their stools. Whether it's black, bloody, or just plain old brown. Or maybe green if the patient eats a lot of spinach. I'm always in a state of disbelief when they reply that they don't know what color stools they have, because they never look. I used to think they were just shy, but too many continue to claim

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16951898872965580275noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6099123.post-1095119827700135462004-09-13T16:31:00.000-07:002004-09-13T16:57:07.700-07:00

Some of the best research in the world is done by American pharmaceutical companies and biotech firms. They have research down to an art, designing studies that are almost uncontestable. Unfortuately, much of this research is esoteric and benefits only a small number of people, if any. Many years and billions of dollars are spent trying to elucidate the purpose of an obscure cytokine, or one

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16951898872965580275noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6099123.post-1094680759171253342004-09-08T14:58:00.000-07:002004-09-08T14:59:19.170-07:00

It seems that TV Guide is biased towards older movies. Very few modern movies, even the best ones, get four stars. So in order to brush up on my movie history and see what makes up a four star movie, I've been catching up on some of the classics. I watched Annie Hall and North By Northwest this weekend, two "masterpieces" that have been critically acclaimed for decades. I'm embarrassed to

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16951898872965580275noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6099123.post-1094184869106239322004-09-02T15:43:00.000-07:002004-09-02T21:14:29.106-07:00

I usually get 7-7.5 hrs of sleep a night. That's very straightforward when it's all done in one block but how do you calculate "hours slept" when it's broken up into fragments? The last two weeks on night float, I would steal little chunks of sleep at the hospital from 15 mins to 2 hrs at a time, whenever things were slow. Then I could go home, sleep for 3 more hours, and be fresh for the

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16951898872965580275noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6099123.post-1094007090046116232004-08-31T19:47:00.000-07:002004-08-31T19:51:30.046-07:00

I was thinking about Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. His supposed legend doesn’t make sense. He was an outcast reindeer with a deformity, while the other reindeer were the golden boys. Would they really all of a sudden love him and shout out with glee that he’s going down in history just because his nose is bright? I doubt it. They would be envious that a loser was going to be the most

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16951898872965580275noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6099123.post-1093568118025151842004-08-26T17:33:00.000-07:002004-08-26T17:56:40.476-07:00

PCTs are people in hospitals who draw patients' blood. They are an essential part of every hospital, as indispensible as nurses and doctors. Our hospital has two that work the night shift. Currently one is on vacation and the other injured. Therefore, there have been no PCTs at night for the last week. What this means is that we, the interns, have to draw all the blood and place IVs in addition

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16951898872965580275noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6099123.post-1093393759399070452004-08-24T17:07:00.000-07:002004-08-24T17:29:19.400-07:00

Garlic is one of those things that gives you great pleasure at the time, then makes you regret it later. I love the taste of garlic. Garlic bread, garlic bagels, garlic in all of my vegetables. I'd probably eat garlic candy if it existed. But a couple hours afterward and through the next day, the devoured garlic comes back with a vengeance, causing agony with every breath. It even seeps out

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16951898872965580275noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6099123.post-1092948577392668782004-08-19T13:16:00.000-07:002004-08-19T13:49:37.393-07:00

My shopping excursion yesterday took me through Sephora, the makeup/beauty section of Macy's, and Victoria's Secret (a forbidden domain where no man likes to venture) before finally finding my object of desire in Essentials, a store for female accessories. What caused me to brave these stores where the female:male ratio was everyone else:me? I needed a eye mask to help me sleep. Since I'm on

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16951898872965580275noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6099123.post-1092696041559444522004-08-16T15:36:00.000-07:002004-08-16T15:41:36.910-07:00

I am often amazed by the genius designs of simple things. Sure, it takes great minds to develop the newest microprocessor, or a satellite that can travel to Jupiter, but that is workmanship beyond our ability to comprehend. Here are a couple of everyday objects that aren’t. The Soap Holder in my Bathtub I’ve always hated sticking my hand into old soap water. But that’s what you get

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16951898872965580275noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6099123.post-1092356107087991012004-08-12T16:41:00.000-07:002004-08-12T17:15:07.086-07:00

I noticed a dead cockroach on my bathroom floor today. This would be unremarkable, except for the fact that it was squished. The inevitable and disturbing conclusion is that I stepped on it at some point with my bare foot. I've always been paranoid about stepping on bugs, or having bugs crawl on my feet while I'm not looking. It's happened to my twice. Once while brushing my teeth, I felt

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16951898872965580275noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6099123.post-1092194200802582642004-08-10T19:59:00.000-07:002004-08-10T20:34:21.870-07:00

Prior to yesterday, I've never had a patient die on me. In the last two days, I've had two. The interesting thing is how different the two situations were. One was a "young" woman, 49 yrs old, with literally dozens of family members mourning in her room and her daughters in the bed with her as she passed away. The other was an old woman, 83 yrs old, from a nursing home. She died alone in the ER

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16951898872965580275noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6099123.post-1091765934663331372004-08-05T21:17:00.000-07:002004-08-05T21:18:54.663-07:00

Sure, my apartment, is small, it’s old, and there’s no carpeting… but at least it was clean and it was all mine. Recently however, it appears some new tenants have decided to try to share the limited space with me. Cockroaches. It all started innocently enough. I was brushing my teeth in the bathroom and I saw one climbing up the wall. I gathered up some courage and killed the thing.

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16951898872965580275noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6099123.post-1091329963317659262004-07-31T20:01:00.000-07:002004-07-31T20:12:43.316-07:00

I saw him today in a NY museum. In fact, I was standing about 4 feet away from him. I don't know why I get excited about these things, especially since I'm not a huge U2 fan. He's just a normal person, a bit shorter than most. He had an Asian girl in tow. Huge props for Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle! Some people may find it offensive, but go see it anyway. I guarantee you'll laugh

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16951898872965580275noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6099123.post-1091215925542927212004-07-30T12:07:00.000-07:002004-07-30T12:32:05.543-07:00

Since being deprived of my favorite Vietnamese haircutters in Argyle, I've been searching for a new reliable barber shop. In the meantime, I've had to make do with $13 haircuts at The Haircuttery where they run an electronic clipper through your hair for 5 minutes while talking on the phone and then look at you for a nice tip. Today, I managed to find a barber shop near my apartment owned by a

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16951898872965580275noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6099123.post-1090959209159203062004-07-27T12:58:00.000-07:002004-07-27T13:13:29.160-07:00

Wandering around the mall today, I came across a booth where two young boys were playing Super Mario Brothers 1. The funny thing about it was, they were total novices. They had no idea what the map layout was, which tubes you could drop down, where the power mushrooms were. For everyone my age plus or minus 5 years, unless you were extremely sheltered, this game was our bread and butter.

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16951898872965580275noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6099123.post-1090735499187014382004-07-24T17:36:00.000-07:002004-07-24T23:04:59.186-07:00

When taking the NJ turnpike back and forth to Staten Island, I have the choice of taking the "car only" lanes or the "car and truck" lanes. I've always taken the "car only" lanes because I thought the traffic would be better without the large trucks clogging things up. Usually the more exclusive something is, the better it is. People go for the most exclusive category they qualify for. But

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16951898872965580275noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6099123.post-1090463100982447452004-07-21T18:30:00.000-07:002004-07-21T19:25:00.983-07:00

We work under a lot of pressure in the hospital. First, there is the obvious pressure of keeping the patient alive. That can be stressful at times, but there are a lot of other people working for the same goal, so that burden is divided among us. There is also pressure from the attending physicians to do a good job and research the issues/diseases associated with each patient. That is

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16951898872965580275noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6099123.post-1090012187428837282004-07-16T13:49:00.000-07:002004-07-16T14:09:47.426-07:00

Jason's comment reminded me of my quest to gather a wider assortment of homemade TV dinners. These are the types of meals you prepare after a long day of work, when you barely have the energy to take off your shoes, much less cook. To qualify for this category, the meal must fulfill several requirements: 1) no more than 5 minutes cooking time 2) tasty enough that you can eat large amounts

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16951898872965580275noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6099123.post-1089947934068684962004-07-15T20:18:00.000-07:002004-07-15T20:37:18.370-07:00

Last weekend I did something that most people my age had done years ago. I returned my parents' credit card. Through my educational period, though I enjoyed the security of being able to buy whatever I wanted without having to pay it back, I always felt guilty when buying something I didn't need. There was a constant voice in my head, "What would my parents think?" Since relinquishing the

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16951898872965580275noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6099123.post-1089938814569708372004-07-15T16:58:00.000-07:002004-07-15T17:46:54.570-07:00

I've discovered that there is a much larger percentage of weirdos among patients in the hospital than in the general population. Right now, I have ten patients. Three are comatose or intubated and cannot talk. Of the remaining seven, three are unquestionably abnormal. One drives the nurses crazy by continuously beeping every 5 minutes. Another glares in paranoia at everyone who walks by and

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16951898872965580275noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6099123.post-1089759037291052782004-07-13T15:46:00.000-07:002004-07-13T15:51:25.026-07:00

My local Pathmark makes customers pay a quarter to rent a shopping cart. I have never seen such a thing. You have customers who want to come to your store to buy your goods and you won't provide a means to carry their items? I refuse to be a part of such a ridiculous scheme, so I just take other people's shopping carts after they unload and before they return them.

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16951898872965580275noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6099123.post-1089642705585518922004-07-12T07:20:00.000-07:002004-07-12T07:31:45.586-07:00

You know how sometimes when you're in a really deep sleep and your bladder gets full, you can dream that you're in a bathroom peeing into a toilet only to wake up moments later and find your sheets drenched with urine? Something similar happened to me last night while on call. I was sound asleep when my pager went off at about 330. I then dreamed that I answered the call and that it was a

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16951898872965580275noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6099123.post-1089166639949309602004-07-06T19:11:00.000-07:002004-07-06T19:19:37.420-07:00

I was at the supermarket today waiting to checkout in the express line. There was a sign that explicitly stated no more than 12 items to qualify for the line. The woman in front of me had a shopping cart full of stuff, which I counted to be about 20 items. Then she told the clerk to double bag everything which took even longer. I hate when people try to get ahead in life by cheating.

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16951898872965580275noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6099123.post-1088730650475930952004-07-01T17:57:00.000-07:002004-07-01T18:10:50.476-07:00

Today I experienced first hand the problem of buying prescription drugs for lower class people who don't have health insurance. My cold was bothering me so much by the end of the day that I decided to ask my resident to write me a prescription for a Z-pak. He gladly complied (anything to make me feel better so I can do my job). I currently don't have health insurance, but figured, "What

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16951898872965580275noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6099123.post-1088643552834116062004-06-30T17:46:00.000-07:002004-06-30T17:59:12.833-07:00

I have a bad cold. Not the best timing, since I'm starting my first day as a resident tomorrow and everyone's probably gonna think I'm 1) Antisocial/unknowledgable because my throat hurts too much to talk. 2) Disgusting because my nose is hemorrhaging mucus and I have to blow it every minute. 3) Lazy because I don't have the energy or desire to initiate movement. I wish we could take

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16951898872965580275noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6099123.post-1088310336157683422004-06-26T20:57:00.000-07:002004-06-26T21:25:36.156-07:00

Have you ever looked into the window of a subway as it's speeding through the darkness? What do you see? I see beautiful people. Something about the jerking of the subway, the curve of the glass, and the dim lighting of the tunnel come together to bring out the best qualities in people's faces. If you're a total troll, no amount of retouching is going to help. But for the average person

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16951898872965580275noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6099123.post-1088306485294206062004-06-26T20:21:00.000-07:002004-06-26T20:24:00.813-07:00

As requested by Andy - look what I found in the markets of Hong Kong. It's amazing what they can do with jade these days.

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16951898872965580275noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6099123.post-108796293097303632004-06-22T20:45:00.000-07:002004-06-22T20:55:30.973-07:00

Showtunes are my favorite type of music. I think songs from movies and musicals are more meaningful because they're imbued with all the emotion of the surrounding story. I'm sure all music is written with a specific message in mind, but most of these messages are private to the songwriter and concealed from the listener. With showtunes, the context is open for everyone to see. This makes them

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16951898872965580275noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6099123.post-1087870888831263472004-06-21T19:18:00.000-07:002004-06-21T19:21:28.830-07:00

These past few days, I've been busy getting set up for next year. On Friday my dad and I went to check out my apartment. Standing outside my door, I was so excited to see what laid inside. My first real apartment!! (At 24, I know. It's pretty sad.) Then I opened the door and the eagerness evaporated, replaced by dismay. The room was a lot smaller than I had imagined, with no A/C, no

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16951898872965580275noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6099123.post-1087448072847571002004-06-16T21:05:00.000-07:002004-06-16T21:54:32.846-07:00

There are Big & Tall stores everywhere now, catering to the expanding size of Americans. Why have I never seen a Short & Slim? Or even just a Slim? I went shopping today at Macy's and as always, it was difficult to find pants that fit. Most US department stores start their inventory with a size 32 waist. If you're lucky, sometimes you can find a 30. In Asia, they sell pants down to a waist

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16951898872965580275noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6099123.post-1087327430028668372004-06-15T12:23:00.000-07:002004-06-15T12:23:50.026-07:00

I renewed my driver's license yesterday. To my amusement, the new picture looks almost exactly like the old one. Which do you think is from yesterday and which from four years ago?

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16951898872965580275noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6099123.post-1087278450636038212004-06-14T22:46:00.000-07:002004-06-14T23:12:44.046-07:00

Spending time in China has shown me that no race is as sexually ambiguous as the Chinese. Walking down the street, you will see any number of people whom you cannot categorize with certainty as male or female. This was especially problematic with the older generation. I scrutinized many a person in China looking for the signs that define one as male or female. For me, these signs are, in

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16951898872965580275noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6099123.post-1087136992901088412004-06-13T07:16:00.000-07:002004-06-13T07:30:58.186-07:00

Two weeks in China were not nearly long enough. Although the wonderful trip didn't start off so wonderfully. Arriving in Beijing after a fourteen hour flight, I decided to put on my contacts in the airport so I could see the city as we drove to the hotel. I searched through all of my bags, but could not find my contact container. (Turns out I left it on my dresser at home.) There were

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16951898872965580275noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6099123.post-1085730617441714522004-05-28T00:46:00.000-07:002004-05-28T02:07:43.993-07:00

I've been reflecting on the 7 years and hundreds of thousands of dollars spent at Northwestern. Was it worth it? What has it gotten me? Was all this time and money merely payment for a direct access pass to Columbia and the medical profession? At one time, I thought it was. "None of this tedious work is important… Just plow through it so you can reach your goal." That was my philosophy

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16951898872965580275noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6099123.post-1085712812493668612004-05-27T19:26:00.000-07:002004-05-27T19:53:32.493-07:00

When driving over 50 mph, I get nervous when approaching a traffic light. Especially traffic lights that have been green for a long time, those that you can see from far away. I think of the area in front of the light as three zones: the zone of easy brakage, the questionable zone, and the zone of no return. The zones of easy brakage and no return are no problem. If the light turns yellow

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16951898872965580275noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6099123.post-1085632400439382382004-05-26T16:19:00.000-07:002004-05-26T21:34:34.090-07:00

The blogging craze has become hot enough for the NY Times to write an article about it. They focus on the underworld of blogging, the obsessive bloggers who neglect their friends, jobs, family for their blog. But they fail to mention 99.9% of all bloggers who write casually as an online diary or to communicate with their friends. It also brings up the issues of why people blog, and the

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16951898872965580275noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6099123.post-1085545804515182882004-05-25T21:10:00.000-07:002004-05-25T21:30:04.516-07:00

It's probably common knowledge by now, but Google is revolutionizing the free email business with Gmail, offering 1 gig of free storage space. This dwarfs Yahoo's 6 megs which get overloaded everytime someone sends me a few pictures. You can use G-mail as your online hard drive, storing important photos or documents that you can access anywhere in the world. This is important for those of us

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16951898872965580275noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6099123.post-1085460952531844462004-05-24T21:20:00.000-07:002004-05-24T21:55:52.530-07:00

Since I haven't showered in my house in several months, I had forgotten where to put the knob to set the water temperature exactly how I like it. Today I set it too far right, resulting in a wall of cold water coming down from the shower head. This reminded me of a dilemma I had often faced in my younger years. It used to be that if anyone turned on the water downstairs (to wash dishes, do

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16951898872965580275noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6099123.post-1085295717097012702004-05-22T23:57:00.000-07:002004-05-23T00:01:57.096-07:00

My last night in Chicago. I've been thinking of a lot of "lasts" these last two days. Last walk down the Magnificent Mile. Last meal at Foodlife. Last trip to Borders. Last time seeing everyone. I'm going to miss the city, but I'll miss all of the people even more. Feel free to stay with me in New York anytime! And for those of you on the east coast... I'm coming home!!

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16951898872965580275noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6099123.post-1084909889536775062004-05-18T12:26:00.000-07:002004-05-18T12:51:29.536-07:00

Today was a windy day in Chicago. I went to buy a couple large cardboard boxes to start the packing process. While carrying them home, I discovered how it must feel to be a sailboat. I was walking against the wind, so any slight twist in my "sail" would send me veering off to the side. One time I almost got blown into the street. It would have been fun to walk in the other direction. Then I

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16951898872965580275noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6099123.post-1084908293970848322004-05-18T12:19:00.000-07:002004-05-18T12:24:53.970-07:00

stays in Vegas usually, but I wanted to record some things to remember, yearbook style. Those of you who experienced it will know what I'm talking about, the rest won't. The smell of the Olympics - Wayne, stop poking my… David means, David's arm - Airplane! - Synchronized swimming/Stand on us like seahorses - Rahul's envelope - Pai Gow fever - It's a yard long!! - "I'm walking on sunshine…

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16951898872965580275noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6099123.post-1084325132760882732004-05-11T18:08:00.000-07:002004-05-11T18:25:32.760-07:00

I read a book today at Borders, "Huevos Verde Con Jamon". That's the Spanish version of "Green Eggs and Ham". The interesting thing about this book was how they translated it. They kept all of Dr. Suess's drawings, so they had to choose words that described the pictures AND rhymed AND flowed in a rhythm. It's quite a difficult task. I have always wondered how experts manage to translate

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16951898872965580275noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6099123.post-1084231210259608802004-05-10T16:02:00.000-07:002004-05-10T16:20:10.260-07:00

I had to go to the Chinese Consulate today to apply for a Visa for China. I was one block away when I notice this short chubby asian woman coming up really fast behind me. She was holding some papers and I knew she was heading for the Consulate too. Well, I had been ahead of her, and wasn't about to let her get in front of me. I quickened my pace to a brisk walk. Somehow, she was still

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16951898872965580275noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6099123.post-1084082608922846182004-05-08T23:03:00.000-07:002004-05-08T23:07:59.390-07:00

Having returned from Cuernavaca, there are a couple things on my mind. First, I think that learning a language and learning to dance are very similar. In both cases you can be taught the basic structures, but to be an expert takes both creativity and practice. There are infinite combinations of words/dance moves. It is impossible to be shown each one. You have to create new ways to combine

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16951898872965580275noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6099123.post-1083885865432367962004-05-06T16:24:00.000-07:002004-05-06T16:28:52.483-07:00

There is a restaurant in Cuernavaca called Las Mananitas. It's ranked on many lists as one of the top 25 restaurants in the world. It has a beautiful garden where peacocks, parrots, and other birds stroll around you while you eat. I wanted to check it out before leaving so I made plans with my friend Kara to go last night. Kara lives 20 mins from me on foot. We arranged to meet at a street

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16951898872965580275noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6099123.post-1083782951655390162004-05-05T11:49:00.000-07:002004-05-05T11:53:36.733-07:00

In response to Eddy's post on toilets vs. urinals, I have to say that toilets are supreme no matter how tall you are. With urinals I get a small amount of splashback almost every time. When using a urinal it's imperative to pretend like you're playing pool with your stream. I usually calculate the angle that the stream is hitting the urinal wall and try to figure out where it is likely to

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16951898872965580275noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6099123.post-1083523310718849732004-05-02T11:41:00.000-07:002004-05-02T11:50:50.200-07:00

This one is for anyone who speaks a little Spanish: Why am I reminded of "She-Ra" every day when speaking this language?

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16951898872965580275noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6099123.post-1083441788205955532004-05-01T13:03:00.000-07:002004-05-01T13:07:28.500-07:00

Yesterday I watched "The Girl Next Door" all by myself. Now before the ridiculing starts, let me provide some background info. I was studying in a cafe downtown and I thought watching a movie would be a nice change of pace. It wasn't so much that I wanted to see a movie, but the american movies here are subtitled in Spanish so they're a good learning tool. It's basically another form of

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16951898872965580275noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6099123.post-1083274294655392452004-04-29T14:31:00.000-07:002004-04-29T14:35:51.890-07:00

I love the cucarachas, Mexican chicken pox, and water shortages so much that I've decided to stay here one more week. No, not really. But there are many things that I do adore about this place (the language, food, my family, other students, excursions to strange places). I just haven't talked about the good things much because who cares? The suffering is what makes an interesting story.

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16951898872965580275noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6099123.post-1083027636228611402004-04-26T18:00:00.000-07:002004-04-26T18:04:49.966-07:00

Most people believe it's not possible to get chicken pox twice. If you looked at me right now, you would think I had contracted a second episode. Only it's not really chicken pox, just lots and lots of mosquito bites. There are a couple of mosquitos that live in my room and cause havoc to my skin every night while I sleep. They have managed to evade my best efforts to kill them. I decided

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16951898872965580275noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6099123.post-1082838774894209322004-04-24T13:32:00.000-07:002004-04-24T13:37:05.186-07:00

I learned three new words yesterday. Cucaracha, matar, and muerto. Before yesterday, I can't remember the last time I saw a live cockroach outside of a zoo. Then last night while I was studying on my bed, this cockroach kept running around the room - up the wall, skittering around the floor, into the closet. I watched it for half an hour without doing anything because cockroaches scare me.

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16951898872965580275noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6099123.post-1082765998210594482004-04-23T17:19:00.000-07:002004-04-23T17:24:07.606-07:00

Fruits come real cheap and juicy in Mexico. I´ve eaten more fruit over the last two weeks than in the previous 6 months. Every morning, I get this huge plate of watermelons, papayas, bananas, mangoes, etc. There is a mango tree right outside my window that I could harvest if I wanted to. Not only do we eat fruit for breakfast, but we drink fruit juice with almost every meal. It´s all

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16951898872965580275noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6099123.post-1082409363478198652004-04-19T14:16:00.000-07:002004-04-19T14:20:07.186-07:00

Yesterday I went to check out downtown Cuernavaca. I was a bit worried because it´s a distance from my house and I´m not familiar with the bus system yet. Buses cost 3.5 pesos, taxis are 20-30 pesos (the exchange rate is 11 pesos for 1 dollar). So why didn´t I just take a taxi? Because I only had a couple of pesos. The banks close for the weekend at 330 Friday afternoon and I hadnt been able

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16951898872965580275noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6099123.post-1082237964861922202004-04-17T14:39:00.000-07:002004-04-17T14:44:04.170-07:00

I took a trip to Taxco today, a town known for it's silver mines and cheap silver products. Somehow, the buses going back to Cuernavaca are all full so we are stuck here for two hours until the next open bus. Thank goodness Taxco has internet cafes. So the first week is done, I've learned a ton of Spanish, and it's been a great time so far. I've realized that it's impossible to be fluent in

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16951898872965580275noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6099123.post-1081977541215410362004-04-14T14:19:00.000-07:002004-04-14T14:22:58.060-07:00

Cuernavaca is a town built around a central street. This street is like the highway of Cuernavaca, the busiest street in the town. Every morning, I have to cross it to get to school. This may not sound like a big deal, but there are no traffic laws in Cuernavaca. No traffic lights, no speed limits, nothing. Therefore, crossing the street is one of the hardest tasks of my day. I wait until

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16951898872965580275noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6099123.post-1081806465905230742004-04-12T14:47:00.000-07:002004-04-12T14:51:39.543-07:00

It´s been less than 24 hours since arriving in Mexico. I feel like I´ve already done a vacation´s worth of stuff. I´m currently at an internet cafe surfing the web, updating this blog. I just have a bunch of scattered thoughts, too many to put in any kind of paragraph structure. My 1.5 hr bus ride from Mexico city to Cuernavaca cost 9 dollars. It was a luxury type bus, with curtains on the

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16951898872965580275noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6099123.post-1081565327292784452004-04-09T19:48:00.000-07:002004-04-09T19:52:37.123-07:00

I was doing some reading at Borders today on Mexican culture and travel tips. One of the most useful tips were to wash your hands like a man with OCD. Definitely before every meal, and preferably once every hour or two. This will help prevent amoeba and other parasites from getting in your GI system and ruining all hopes of enjoyment. The book also said that Mexicans prefer a limp handshake

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16951898872965580275noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6099123.post-1081479688875835442004-04-08T20:01:00.000-07:002004-04-08T20:07:52.466-07:00

I did laundry today to prepare for Mexico. While folding my clothes, I divided the t-shirts into "presentable" and "non-presentable" piles. The criteria for presentable being it's not fraying at the collar and not too flashy. To my dismay, about half of my t-shirts were classified "non-presentable". Most are credit card shirts, none are less than four years old, a few are 8 years old.

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16951898872965580275noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6099123.post-1081397153718905802004-04-07T21:05:00.000-07:002004-04-07T21:25:42.123-07:00

I hope to be able to say that validly by the end of the year. Three days ago, I discovered two things: 1) I was getting bored during the week in Chicago while everyone else was working 2) I really wanted to learn Spanish. Even at Northwestern I had seen enough Spanish speaking patients to wish I could communicate with them. And the problem will only be compounded at Columbia since it's

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16951898872965580275noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6099123.post-1081315221258735802004-04-06T22:20:00.000-07:002004-04-06T22:24:07.530-07:00

I witnessed a tragedy today on my way to Borders. Sour Patch Kids were scattered all over the sidewalk in front of the MCA. Green, yellow, orange, red, no color was spared. I even stepped on one by accident. Poor things. What a waste. It made me want to buy a pack and eat them. Which is what I then proceeded to do.

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16951898872965580275noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6099123.post-1081208294519303322004-04-05T16:38:00.000-07:002004-04-05T16:41:58.793-07:00

Here's my Lang Lang encore. The whole tradition of encores is getting ridiculous. Why should someone accept applause, take his bows, go behind the stage, and then come back out 30 seconds later? Why not just play whatever it is you're gonna play, and finish it once and for all? Why didn't I just add this to the end of my previous entry? Lang Lang bowed and we applauded a total of 4 times

Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16951898872965580275noreply@blogger.com0